Organizations may operate computer networks that interconnect numerous computing systems to support the operations of the organizations. The computing systems may be co-located, or part of a local network, or the computing systems may be distributed across multiple distinct geographical locations and include one or more private or public networks. For example, some organizations make use of data centers that may house large amounts of data for the organization. The data centers may be part of an organization's local network, or the organization may utilize a data center that in a separate geographical location. Further, the data center itself may be implemented as a co-located computing system or it may be a distributed across one or more private or public networks.
Organizations may also utilize virtualization technologies for creating dynamically scalable computing systems. Through the use of virtualization technologies, organizations need not purchase dedicated hardware for processing. Rather, the organization may purchase computing resources on an as needed basis from a computing resource service provider. For example, virtualization technologies may allow a single physical computing machine to be shared among multiple users by providing each user with one or more virtual machines hosted by a single physical computing machine. Each virtual machine may be a software simulation acting as a distinct logical computing system that provides users with the illusion that they are the sole operators and administrators of a given hardware computing resource. In addition, some virtualization technologies are capable of providing virtual resources that span two or more physical resources, such as a single virtual machine with multiple virtual processors that spans multiple distinct physical computing systems. As another example, virtualization technologies may allow data storage hardware to be shared among multiple users by providing each user with a virtualized data store that provides users with the illusion that they are the sole operators and administrators of the data storage resource.